Patrick said: <snip> <<<I have been using my girlfriends car which does not have a rack.... So what do you do?>>> Get a hick-chic; you know, a girlfriend with a big truck! :-) On another related but more serious note, I retired my second vehicle last year (gave it to my brother-in-law, a real surfer dude). It had significant rust issues, but only on parts of the roof and trunk area (a sedan) where the salt-water used to drip off my kayak (over the last decade). The kayak was always positioned above the car in the same place, and apparently I didn't rinse the kayak or car enough after returning from each outing. The salt-water induced corrosion really took its toll. Newer car owners (or borrowers) might want to take note. <<<She drives one of those fancy new Beetles, if anyone has any tips for car-topping a boat on one of these let me know.>>> Ah yes, you need a set of them new-fangled Yakima, Beatle-topping-boat-racks, I'd say. <<<Thanks!>>> Yur welcome. Doug *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Alright, someone has to chime in on the negative side, guess it will be me. I've got a two door Integra with the Yakima rack (including extender to get enough spacing between the bars.) Where the racks grip the car they've actually scratched off little sections of paint (nothing big, about the same as a rock ding on the front of your hood). This was over the course of a summer, since then the spots haven't grown and I've wrapped tape around the metal feet even more. I paint it and it still wears off though. Where the rack feet rest on the roof (on big rubber pads) they've left shadows. Not noticeable unless you're looking for them but they are there. All said it's enough to make me say that if my next car doesn't have built in factory racks I'm getting a trailer. I'm tempted to do it anyways for the Integra, I've already got a Hidden Hitch to make it easier to haul bikes. Plus a trailer could have a much greater rack spacing. If the Beetle does have factory made spots to attach a rack go for it. If it doesn't and it was me I would explore the option of a lightweight trailer: http://www.magnetatrailers.com/products.html http://www.mrglobal.com/page5.html http://www.eze-float.com/ http://hdtrailer.fix.net/ Good luck, Mel *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>> Yes, be sure to take a picture. Long straight boat on short round car. You should get smiles (or at least incredulous stares) everywhere you go. Actually, your biggest problem may be getting adequate rack spacing. You only have one door to work with. Steve Cramer Athens, GA >> Reminds me of the time I was driving my Civic with my canoe strapped upside-down on top. We had just had a very heavy rain, and water was ponding on the streets and freeways. A TV news photographer who saw me motioned that I should turn the car upside down! Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 01:24 PM 10/24/02 -0500, Chuck Holst wrote: > >> >Yes, be sure to take a picture. Long straight boat on short round car. You >should get smiles (or at least incredulous stares) everywhere you go. >Steve Cramer > >> > >Reminds me of the time I was driving my Civic with my canoe strapped >upside-down on top. We had just had a very heavy rain, and water was >ponding on the streets and freeways. A TV news photographer who saw me >motioned that I should turn the car upside down! I bought a couple of Sea Lions (17 ft) from a guy in New Jersey and had my daughter bring them down on top of her Civic. No problems, except that the rack attachments leaked water when it rained. Steve Cramer Athens, GA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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